


Cabin in the woods

by belowaveragehero



Category: Pitch (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-20 08:40:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9483239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belowaveragehero/pseuds/belowaveragehero
Summary: Ginny had never really vacationed (unless hotels after travel ball games counted).--A team retreat in the off season might just be the perfect time for a certain pitcher/catcher duo to admit some inevitable truths.





	1. Feel Strange at least twice a Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first ever fic, so please be gentle
> 
> Edit: Now has a chapter title! All chapter titles are Magic Hat bottle cap quotes.

It was team tradition to spend a weekend at these cabins in the mountains after the Series. It was a nice way for the team to bond and unwind after the season. The first few hours were usually full of bitching about not making it, about how close they had been. But then it was like camp, everyone buzzing with the anticipation of cramming as much of a good time as possible into just two days. The view was amazing, the air was clear, and each of the 5 cabins had 5 bedrooms each with their own bathroom, a nicer kitchen than Ginny knew what to do with, and a huge fireplace. There was also a fire pit and outdoor seating in the center of the circle of cabins. Of course, the free flowing alcohol didn’t hurt either.

Ginny had never really vacationed (unless hotels after travel ball games counted) and she was amped to be a part of Padre tradition, to be one of the guys. What might help with that venture was if any of the other guys were actually around. Ginny stood in the cold living room of the cabin, her overnight bag at her feet. She heard the heat kick on and a voice yelled, “Found it!”

The owner of the voice reentered the room from where ever he had gone to find the thermostat. 

“It’s in the kitchen,” Mike offered, “All of these cabins are just a little bit different. I don’t think I’ve actually stayed in this one before.” 

Ginny smiled, but it was small, no dimples in sight. Despite the heat audibly working, the room kept its chill. 

“Why don’t you go check out the rooms, Rook. I’ll let you have your pick. And maybe start a fire while I’m at it. This open concept floor plan is shit for heating.”

Ginny wanted to rib him for the jargon he had obviously picked up from binge watching a little too much HGTV, but she let it slide.

“Yeah, sure.” She scooped her oversized duffel off of the floor and set to exploring. 

Neither of them had really anticipated being alone - the rest of the team had rented a party bus, but Mike wanted to drive himself and Ginny volunteered to keep him company.

"Can't have you getting drowsy behind the wheel, old man!" she'd chirped.

She'd figured she could have a few hours of uninterrupted time with her Captain, and after that, she would be so sick of him that romantic backdrop of the mountains and wood burning fireplaces wouldn't make her imagine the rest of the team was gone and the two of them were on a romantic getaway. They left a couple of hours earlier than the rest of the team was planning to. Mike’s plan was to get there early, snag the rooms with the best views, and do all the grocery shopping (which mostly meant hot dogs and beer) so that they could switch into full on party mode when the guys finally showed up. It was a good plan, but it hadn’t accounted for a text from Blip as Mike was making the final turn that read, “Engine trouble on the party bus, bus company says it’ll be a few hours before they can get us another.”

The ride hadn’t involved much conversation. Mike kept the radio so loud that Ginny had teased him about his hearing. Sometimes one or both of them would sing along to a really catchy chorus, but otherwise, they were silent. Ginny had felt butterflies while reading the text aloud, but Mike grimaced and gripped the wheel so tightly she thought his fingers might break. After they pulled into the otherwise empty circle of cabins and Mike killed the engine, Ginny found herself missing the roaring noise, wishing for anything to kill the awkward, heavy silence that had settled. 

Now, as she meandered up the stairs to the second level of the cabin, she willed herself to get it together.  
_He is a ballplayer. He is your teammate. He is your captain. He is your friend._

Despite these truths, Ginny’s blood was rushing and her breath was shallow. She sort of felt like she might cry.  
Pausing at the lofted area at the top of the stairs, Ginny allowed herself a peek over the railing. Below her, Mike had taken off his leather jacket and lain it on the arm of the couch. He was standing in front of the fireplace and frowning at his phone, and it struck Ginny that he was probably googling how to start a fire. At that, she smiled, a real smile, all teeth and dimples. As if he could sense it, he turned and looked right up at her. The smile quickly left her face and she felt the breath leave her body. He took a useless step forward, and she took a step back despite the fact that they were on separate floors. His eyes narrowed and Ginny readjusted the bag on her shoulder, turning to investigate the four bedrooms on the upper level. 

The first was nice enough; mahogany furniture, navy bedspread, nature photographs very likely taken in the woods around them. She thought of just settling there, but decided she needed to kill more time, occupy her brain with something that wasn’t Lawson related. She moved on to the second room. Both rooms were roughly the same size, had the same types of furniture. The second room had a lighter color scheme though, everything white and wicker. Even the nature photos were softer, more flowers and fawn than fog and frogs. That wasn’t what sold Ginny on the room though. No, it was definitely the view. The first room had faced the front of cabin, giving her an eyeful of the main circle. She would have been privy to all of the comings and goings of the team, which certainly had its perks for gathering intel to blackmail the guys with next season. She had no doubt the view would include puking players and grown men who let their childlike obsession with fire get out of hand. The second room, though, had perks that outweighed even the potential to later embarrass her teammates. Since this room was on the back of the cabin, it had a balcony. And the view… It was breathtaking, the mountains looming up over the trees that surrounded and secluded the cabins. She briefly thought about how beautiful it would be at sunrise, and then less briefly indulged the fantasy of enjoying that sunrise with a certain crotchety old man. She shook her head as if she could dislodge the idea and slowly moved to begin unpacking her things. 

Heading back downstairs, she felt a little more centered after giving all of her things a place. It was almost like she had tucked her feelings away with her travel sized shampoo. The fire was crackling when she returned to the main room, and Mike was nowhere to be seen. She popped her head into the bedroom on the first floor, unsurprised to find Mike’s bag on the bed. _Of course he wouldn’t want to do the stairs._ She was, however, surprised not to find Mike. She wandered back into the living room and plopped onto the overstuffed leather couch. A slip of paper on the end table caught her eye, and upon further inspection she found it to be a note letting her know that Mike had gone to turn the heat on in all the other cabins.

She had hardly finished the note when the front door opened. Mike stepped inside, unaware of Ginny’s presence. He brought both hands up and across his face and let out a sigh.

Ginny was going to stand up, but before she could he bellowed, “Hey, Rook!”

“No need to yell, old man. We don’t all have hearing troubles.”

At this distance, she couldn’t be sure, but she thought he may have smiled. It was gone in an instant though, and he was all business.

“Oh, good. You’re done.”

She looked at him, unsure of how she was supposed to respond. He seemed unfazed by her silence.

“I suppose we should do that grocery shopping now, huh?”

Ginny shrugged and nodded, still not speaking. She grabbed her jacket, and the little crossbody bag she had packed to hold her wallet and phone for any potential outings. 

Mike held the door open, suddenly cavalier.  
“After you!”

Ginny narrowed her eyes at his change of mood, now uncertain if she had been imagining his coldness earlier. Wordlessly, she made her way into the passenger seat and they made the 20 minute ride to the grocery store with only the too loud radio for background noise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm happy for any constructive criticism, so please leave it if you feel so inclined!


	2. Good times are had when wearing plaid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite the inherent domesticity of shopping with Mike, Ginny found herself falling into the easy pattern of exchanging snide witticisms with her captain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter titles are all Magic Hat bottle cap quotes

Some of the awkwardness melted away as they shopped. Despite the inherent domesticity of shopping with Mike, Ginny found herself falling into the easy pattern of exchanging snide witticisms with her captain. It was hard to find romance in buying 10 packs of hot dogs. 

They argued over condiments -- Mike wanted to buy yellow mustard and Ginny insisted on spicy brown. The finally settled on three of each. Every other house would get just one and their house -- Ginny’s efforts to be platonic almost failed when Mike used the words _our house_ \-- would get both. Ginny refused to let Mike buy relish, but conceded on sauerkraut. Mike picked up the beer, and grabbed a case of Ginny’s favorite, along with the Miller Lite the rest of the guys would want.

"Aren't the guys bringing kegs?"  
Mike shrugged, "Can't have too much beer."

When they passed a display of s’mores supplies, Mike only teased Ginny a little bit about how excited she was about sitting around and roasting marshmallows with the team. By the time they were back in the car, they had totally found their footing, both of them smiling easily and genuinely. 

On the trip back, Mike turned the radio down so that now it was only sort of loud, and not too difficult to have a conversation. 

Back at the cabins, they split up the groceries with ease. They each stocked two of the kitchens on their own, and then worked together to put away the things in their -- _there was that phrase again_ \-- their kitchen. When they were done, Mike rummaged in the drawers that came fully equipped with utensils and such until he found what he was looking for. He pulled two beers from the fridge, the Magic Hat he had picked up for Ginny, and popped the caps. 

She was sitting on the island, quietly watching him. Her face was fairly neutral. The only thing that might have given away her thoughts about how well his henley fit was the gentle way she was biting her lip. Mike handed her a beer and slid both caps towards her before leaning on the counter opposite her. Without needing to speak, they raised their drinks in a silent cheers. 

After Ginny took her first sip, Mike asked, “So? What do they say?” 

Ginny smirked at his impatience. 

“I thought these were lame?”

“Oh, please! Like you’re not dying to read them to me!”

She smiled widely. “Okay, I totally am!”

She put her beer down and swiped the caps into her hand. Mike rolled his eyes when she cleared her throat, but his smile made it clear he was far from annoyed. 

“Banana costumes, by nature, are funny.”

He nodded solemnly, “So true.” 

When she read the second cap, “Dinner Sold Separately,” her stomach growled and Mike laughed loudly.

“Hungry, Rook?”

“Always,” she grinned back at him.

They both glanced at the fridge, suddenly aware that neither breakfast or hot dogs was a very appealing option at this exact moment. Before either of them could voice that opinion, Ginny’s phone began to ring. Mike could see a picture of a smiling Blip take over the screen.

“Hello?” Ginny answered. 

The conversation was quick, Ginny asking “Really!” and making a few empathetic noises before she hung up.

Mike looked at her expectantly as she put the phone down. 

“So they got a new bus…” Ginny didn’t seem particularly happy about this news. 

“That sounds like a good thing, Baker.”

“It might have been… if their driver didn’t suddenly have a family emergency. The bus company doesn’t have anyone else available to drive them until tomorrow and Blip says the guys started in on the kegs while they waited…”

“Kegs, plural?” Mike’s voice is incredulous and Ginny offers up a half-hearted shrug in response. 

“So that means…” Mike trails off.

“It’s just you and me until like, 9 am,” Ginny finishes. 

_If the sorry bums can get their hungover asses up_ Mike thinks.

Neither of them reacts much to that realization, mostly shrugging it off. Internally, Ginny is freaking out. Just the two of them, alone, overnight. 

If the possibilities running through her mind occur to Mike, he doesn’t show it. Instead, he asks if she wants to order a pizza.

“God, yes,” is her response, and he chuckles. 

They spend the night eating pizza and watching cheesy Lifetime original movies as a compromise after she refused to watch HGTV and he rejected her request to watch ESPN.

“These cabins are a baseball free zone, Rookie.”

When she wakes up, it is still dark outside and the tv is playing some cheesy infomercial. She’s lying against Mike’s side, his feet up on the coffee table. Feeling content, she snuggles in closer and goes back to sleep, unaware that Mike was awake. He had been thinking about getting up, waking her. At least covering her with a blanket. But when she settles into his side, purposefully this time, he can’t help the warm feeling that spreads over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't help but to post the next chapter, but the third will probably have a longer wait. I'm doing a rewatch to figure out the rest of the guys on the team (who probably won't make an appearance until chapter 4).


	3. Rain or Shine, it's just a State of Mind.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This time yesterday she had been telling herself she was going to get over her crush this weekend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said this one might be up later, but I just can't stop writing this story!
> 
> Chapter title is a Magic Hat bottle cap quote

The main room was as cold as it had been outside, but at least it wasn't raining. Ginny peeled off her pullover windbreaker, glad to have worn a long sleeved tee over her tank and sports bra. 

She glanced behind her to see Mike, who had not had the foresight to wear anything water resistant, dripping wet and grimacing at his elderly knees. 

She had convinced him to go for a little hike before the rest of the guys arrived, just to get her bearings. When the rain started, she was reluctant to turn back.The sporadic drops quickly turned into a pretty serious downpour and the pair of them raced back to the cabin, more against the weather than each other. 

They had been having such a good time. He had been in a good mood all morning. When she made her way downstairs at 6, he was cooking breakfast and humming to himself. She’d lingered outside the kitchen for a moment, trying to catch the tune. She couldn’t quite make it out, and she was still standing there watching him when he turned to plate the eggs. She grinned like she wasn’t mortified to be caught watching him, and he grinned back. 

This time yesterday she had been telling herself she was going to get over her crush this weekend. If she could just find an excuse to be alone for a few more hours, the whole team would be there and she could avoid being alone with Mike (or her feelings for him? About him?) for the rest of the weekend. 

So when she found herself inviting him for a hike, _“Don’t you want to enjoy it before the guys come and mess it up?”_ she didn’t quite know what her play was. She still didn’t. What she did know was that for the second time in as many hours, she found herself watching Mike Lawson. 

She faced forward before he could look up and catch her for a second time. He made quite a picture, his wet shirt clinging to his torso in a way that would have made high school Ginny weak in the knees. She felt herself blush, and was glad to have her back to him.

“I’m going to go shower-”  
“I’d better change-” 

They spoke at the same time, and even their laughter afterwards was in unison.

Ginny turned to face Mike, taking a deliberately slow breath in an attempt to slow her heart rate.

“The guys should be here soon.”

“Yeah,” he agrees, and she thinks she sees disappointment in his face. 

She turns for the stairs and wills herself not to turn around for another look at him. Instead, she steels her shoulders and tries to move like she’s not thinking about turning around and moving towards him instead of away. 

He watches her go up the stairs, his mouth set in a tight line. He almost wants to call her name… but he doesn’t know what he would say. So he just watches her, his eyes more concerned with the set of her shoulders than the sway of her hips. Not that he doesn’t note the sway of her hips… because he definitely does. 

Almost an hour later, not that either of them was keeping count, they meet up again in the living room. This time, it’s Ginny who has started the fire, and she didn’t have to google it beforehand. 

Mike emerges from his room, wearing dry jeans and an oversized hoodie that makes Ginny remember just how fitted the rain had made his tee earlier. If he had asked, she would have attributed the flush of color on her face to the heat of the fire she's still standing beside. She isn’t ready to meet his eyes, and instead looks at the feet he’s propped up on the coffee table. His socks have dots on them, and she resists the urge to ask if his mother bought them. 

While she is not looking at him, he is very much looking at her. There are no lights on despite the gloom outside, and he’s not sure if it’s the fire or just her but, she’s glowing. Her obviously wet hair is braided in a single french braid down the center of her head, and it’s not so unlike her signature ponytail except that it _is_. 

She’s wearing another long sleeved tee and leggings, which is not a departure from the norm, but the fuzzy socks on her feet make him grin. 

She finally raises her eyes to meet his, and if she’s surprised to find his eyes trained on hers, she doesn’t show it. 

Neither of them speaks as she sits beside him on the couch, facing him and criss-cross-applesauce. He sucks in a breath at how _young_ she looks. She registers the inhale, cocks her head, but says nothing. 

He grins, that cocky Lawson grin, and she raises a brow. _Shit._ He feels off of his game. Unsure of just when the air in the room became so thick.

He stands. 

“Baker...” Her name sounds like a warning, and he’s not sure which one of them it’s for.

She doesn’t react except to slide from the middle cushion to the side of the couch so that her back rests on the arm. She seems so sure, but he doesn’t know what she’s sure of. Right now, he isn’t sure of anything. 

She smiles at him and his knees feel weak.

 _Your knees are always weak, old man._ Even though he thinks it, he hears it in her voice.

“Have a seat,” Ginny gestures to the open space on the couch. “We can... watch HGTV.”

Her tone says more than her words do. What she really means is, _we can do what you want_. Mike doesn’t understand what’s happening. Yesterday they were barely speaking and today she’s daring him to make a move. At least, that’s what he’s reading between the lines. And as her catcher, isn’t that what he’s supposed to be good at? Reading her? 

He lowers himself onto the opposite end of the couch, briefly thinks about sitting in the armchair beside the couch instead. 

She leans towards him and he holds his breath, but she was only going for the remote. 

_Get a hold of yourself, Lawson._

A commercial is playing, but according to the guide, _Love It or List It_ should be on when the break ends. 

He thinks about what to say, at a loss for the first time in a long time. She speaks before he does.

“It’s been nice, being up here with you.”

He nods, slowly, eyes trained on the Purina commercial. 

Her legs have been tucked underneath her and she shifts her weight from the side of the couch to her knees. Her hands are resting on her thighs. He picks at his fingernails. 

She grins and it’s nothing like her smile. There are no dimples and her teeth, so white and perfect, suddenly look menacing. He thinks, for a moment, that she might bite him. That he might want her to. 

“Mike…” her voice has none of the confidence of her gaze. It hurts him, how small she sounds. 

“Ginny --” he realizes the mistake of using her first name too late. 

Before he can say any more, her mouth is on his. 

He wants to pull away. To remind her who they are. But he doesn’t actually want either of those things. He actually wants to kiss her forever. 

When she pulls away, he’s relieved that he doesn’t have to be the one to do it.  
And that relief might have become disappointment if Ginny actually intended to stop what was surely going to be a big mistake. But that was not the case. Instead of moving away, Ginny straddles his lap, resuming the kiss. 

Mike’s brain was trying to remind his body of all of the reasons this shouldn’t be happening. 

His body was not getting the message. He found himself with his hands on her hips, slipping under the hem of her shirt to touch her bare back, his thumbs grazing over her hip bones. Her skin was as soft as he had imagined, and he was too far gone to pretend he hadn’t imagined it. 

He pressed a solid kiss to her lips before kissing her neck. He felt the hum of her appreciation because his lips were pressed to her throat, but he was sure that he felt it down to his toes. 

Just when he was done fighting himself, Ginny tensed up. 

He thought she was realizing what a mistake they were making, but as he came down from the euphoric high of having _Ginny Baker_ in his lap, he heard the same thing she must have -- tires. One second after his realization, a horn sounded twice. 

“The team.” Ginny’s eyes were wide, her voice scandalized. 

Mike removed his hands from under her shirt, grabbed her by the hips and gently but firmly separated himself from her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't get too excited, this chapter is probably as risqué as this story is going to get... probably.
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	4. it’s Easy to Talk and Say nothing at the Same Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey, we may be drunk and late, but we’re here!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a shorty, and although the next one's not finished just yet, I have a feeling it's going to be a monster. 
> 
> Chapter title is a Magic Hat bottle cap quote.

The guys were pouring out of the bus, greeting Mike, when Ginny stepped onto the porch, beer in hand. 

A cheer went up, mostly unintelligible greetings and a few chorused “Baker!”s. 

She laughed and raised her bottle in greeting.

The rain had stopped, and some of the guys had plopped onto the wet outdoor seating. Her suspicions about the exuberance they were exerting was confirmed when Blip made his way up the stairs to stand next to her.

“Hair of the dog,” he explained. “I couldn’t get anyone moving without a couple of Bloody’s… and another keg for the road.”

Ginny snorted, and Blip laughed.

“Hey, we may be drunk and late, but we’re here!”

He turned away from her to face the circle.

“Ain’t no party like a Padre party!” he called.

“Cause a Padre party don’t stop!”

The reply was surprisingly in unison.

“Practice much?” Ginny teased. 

Later, after the guys were all settled, Ginny was learning that there was no real structure to this retreat. She was reclined across the couch in her cabin, her feet in Duarte’s lap. Mike had shut himself away in his room. Blip and Omar were upstairs, hanging out in the lofted space at the top of the stairs. Ginny could hear them arguing about which Star Wars trilogy was the best. 

Salvimini and Sonny strolled in through the open front door. The pair was holding a cooler that was very likely full of beers. 

“A few of us are heading down to the lake. Wanna come?”

“A lake?” Ginny asked, sitting up.

“Yeah, there’s a little man made lake about a 15 minute walk away. We, uh...” Salvimini rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly self-conscious that he sounded lame.  
“We drink beer and skip rocks and stuff.”

“Sounds good!” Ginny exclaimed. Salvi smiled at her. 

“I’m in!” Blip hollered over the railing. 

Sonny seemed to be the only one to notice the missing presence in the room.

“Hey, Cap! We’re heading to the lake!”

Mike’s door opened and he emerged looking as grumpy as ever.

“Go ahead without me.”

“Oh, come on, Mike!” Ginny’s smile was evident in her voice. No sane person could deny her anything. So come on, he did.

All in all, about 15 of them ended up down at the lake. It was cold, but pretty. Almost everyone had been wearing sneakers, and almost everyone was now barefoot in the still wet sand. 

Ginny, Blip and Tommy were tossing a frisbee that someone had brought. Salvimini and a handful of other guys were competing over who could skip a rock the furthest. 

Doherty was grilling at one of those public grills. Much to Ginny’s surprise, the cooler actually did have some food in it. Granted, it was mostly beer, but someone had thought far enough ahead to make lunch plans. 

Javanes went to grab one of the first hot dogs, and he groaned loudly. 

“Yellow mustard?”

Ginny turned away from her game to catch Mike’s eye, but he waved her off. She made her way towards the grill, grinning.

“See, old man? Yellow mustard is for unsophisticated palates,”

Before Mike could come up with a witty retort, Moore’s complaint of, “No relish?” made his case for him.

“There’s no accounting for taste, Rookie.”

She pursed her lips and put her hands on her hips. 

“Yeah, whatever.”

Mike only laughed. 

He wasn’t sure how she was doing this, being so _normal_. But if she could do it, so could he.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, there probably will actually be a multi-day wait between chapters this time because school/work/life yada yada yada.
> 
> Let me know what you think! Or if you have any headcannons about any of the guys on the team who haven't had much screen time!


	5. Don't Cause A Stink When You Drink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We should play a game,” Shrek announces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have been reading a super long, super boring research article when I wrote this, so I hope you like it. 
> 
> Chapter title is a Magic Hat bottle cap quote

That night, after dinner (more hot dogs, but Ginny did make sure everyone had some of the salad she’d made Mike buy) everyone had mostly split up. Quite a few of the guys were at their limit and had gone to bed. To be fair, they’d essentially been drinking since yesterday afternoon.

There was a card game going on in one of the cabins, which was getting heated enough to draw in a few spectators. 

The small remainder of the team was gathered around the outdoor fire. 

Ginny made her way out of her cabin where she had gone to grab another Magic Hat. The cap was still in her hand when she sat down between Livan and Tommy. Shrek, Blip, Omar and Mike made up the rest of the circle. 

Most of the guys were still wearing what they’d been in all day, but Ginny had gotten comfortable, changing into sweats and an unzipped hoodie. The shadows made it hard to tell, but Mike didn’t think she was wearing a bra, wondered how drunk she was. When she put her arms around the shoulders of the guys next to her, her tank top rose, and Mike was reminded of how less than 10 hours ago his hands had been on that exposed sliver of skin. 

He winced at the thought, drained his beer, and grabbed another from the cooler he had strategically placed himself next to. 

Ginny was directly across from him, and while he had a perfect view of her, he couldn’t quite hear her. She was turning her bottle cap in her hands, grinning at Tommy.

Tommy who was married and very much in love with his wife, knowledge that didn’t stop jealousy from rising in Mike’s stomach. 

She handed the cap to him, and his response was loud enough for Mike to catch over the distance and the crackling of the fire.

“Present this Cap to one Full of Crap, very funny Baker!”

She laughed, her head thrown back, her throat exposed and Mike closed his eyes, trying to stave off the memory of her satisfied humming beneath his lips. 

“We should play a game,” Shrek announces. 

Omar suggests Never Have I Ever and after Ginny explains the game to Livan, everyone seems to be in. 

Mike thinks about leaving, about going to bed, but then Ginny speaks up.

“I’ll go first.”

Her eyes twinkle in the fire in a way that is both mischievous and endearing, and the nagging voice in the back of his head telling him he should go is silenced. 

“Never have I ever… gotten drunk on a party bus.”

Everyone but Mike groans and drinks. 

Tommy is up next. He’s never had a cavity and Ginny is the only other person who doesn’t drink. 

Shrek’s never broken a bone, everyone drinks.

Blip’s never seen Titanic, everyone else drinks. 

When it comes to Mike, he catches Ginny’s eye and suddenly the mundane thing he was going to say leaves his brain.

“Never have I ever had a sexual dream about someone on the team.”

Everyone drinks, including Mike, whose eyes never leave Ginny’s. 

Omar starts to say what he’s never done when Livan stops him. 

“Wait, wait. Everyone has to share.” His grin is devious and Mike is deeply regretting his impulsive declaration. 

Blip laughs and says, “I had a dream about frenching Voorhies. When I woke up, he was drooling on my shoulder on the team bus.”

Everyone groaned and laughed.

“What, did you guys think it would have been about Ginny?”

Ginny barked out a laugh. “Please, if you dreamed about any woman other than Ev, she would sense it and smack the dream right out of your head!”

“You’ve got that right,” Blip agrees. 

Livian is next to share, dipping his head towards Ginny, nuzzling his nose into the crook of her neck.

“My dream was about you, mamí, and I think you’ve had the same one.”

She laughs and shoves him, and across the fire Mike seethes. 

Shrek divulges that he’s had more than one dream about more than one player, and no one really wants any more detail than that. 

To his credit, Omar doesn’t blush, but he can’t seem to look at anything but his feet when he says that he’d "rather not talk about it." 

“Right, well, just take your turn instead then,” Mike insists, hoping to save himself from the predicament he caused. 

“What about you, Mike?” Ginny asks, her face the picture of innocence.

“Yeah, Captain,” Livian goads. 

Mike clears his throat, more to buy time to come up with a convincing lie than for effect.

“If Evelyn ever ditches you, you know who to call,” he winks at Blip. 

The guys all laugh, but Ginny doesn’t buy it. She doesn’t say anything though. Instead, she raises her beer towards him, and takes a long, slow drink. 

Her turn to share is blissfully forgotten, and Mike is equally disappointed and relieved.

The next rounds are uneventful, and somewhere along the way Shrek and Omar excuse themselves for bed. 

Mike is so caught up watching Ginny laugh at Livan reveal he gets weekly manicures that he almost doesn’t hear Tommy ask for another beer.

When he goes to fish it out of the cooler, he notices that the only thing left is a pool of what used to be ice.

He hands the bottle to Tommy and stands, wincing at his knees. 

“I’m gonna grab some more beers.”

No one seems to be paying him any attention as he leaves, so it catches him off guard when Ginny is suddenly next to him on the walk to the cabin.

He raises a brow and she shrugs.

“Thought you might need a hand… and I wanted the s’mores stuff.”

She grins, drunk and happy.

They make their way into the kitchen quietly, remembering that Omar is sleeping upstairs. Ginny rummages in the cabinets for her supplies while Mike pours a bag of ice into the now empty cooler. 

He’s standing in front of the open fridge grabbing Miller Lites when he feels Ginny press against him. Her arm snakes around him and he closes his eyes, shakes his head.

“Rook,” he begins, careful not to use her first name.

“Relax,” she breathes onto his neck, “I’m just grabbing a Magic Hat.”

Her fingers hook on one of the bottles of Magic Hat in the door of the fridge and Mike notes that she chooses the one furthest away from her, requiring her to lean just a little further into him than really necessary. 

He’s grateful for the cool air of the refrigerator. The air is electric and she’s warm against him. 

She pulls away and when he finishes loading the cooler she’s sitting on the island swinging her legs. The way she’s leaning causes a gap between her sweats and her shirt and Mike is overcome with the urge to pull it over her head. 

She nudges her bottle cap towards him and he picks it up slowly.

_Don’t try to prevent a predestined Event._

He doesn’t read it out loud, doesn’t need to. 

After a beat, she seems to decide he’s not worth waiting on. She scoops the tower she’s made of the graham crackers, chocolate bars and marshmallows into her left arm, takes a swig of the beer in her right hand and heads for the door. 

Mike is stopping her before he realizes it. He pulls on her arm and the s’mores ingredients clatter to the floor. Never mind that the graham crackers are probably all broken. Never mind that Tommy, Livan and Blip are waiting on them. Never mind that this is a terrible idea. 

He’s kissing her, and it feels so right.

She sighs and relaxes into him. He’s only peripherally aware of the clatter of her beer falling to the floor. Her left hand is firmly holding his shoulder and her right sneaks its way between them. She glides from his abdomen to his chest, stopping to rest cupping his neck. Her thumb rubs circles into his jaw and he grins. _She loves the beard._

He leads them back towards the island and boosts her to sit on it, all without taking his mouth from hers. She wraps her legs around his waist, breaking the kiss momentarily to lean back and shed her hoodie. It’s just her arms that have been exposed, but Mike can’t look away from the smooth brown skin. He nuzzles her neck and kisses a line from the hollow of her throat to her shoulder. Her chuckle at the tickle of his beard is low and content and he thinks it might be his new favorite sound. 

Neither of them hears the door open, but they do hear Livan loudly correcting Blip on his pronunciation of _cerveza._

“Hey, Captain,” Blip calls. “Forget the _cerveza_ , we’re heading to bed.”

Neither Mike or Ginny moves until they hear two sets of feet stomp upstairs and two bedroom doors close. 

Mike let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and takes a step back.

“We, uh, we shouldn’t be doing this.”

Ginny frowns, but doesn’t speak. 

“What if the kitchen faced the door? Or if they had come looking? We could have gotten caught. Or worse, if they didn’t come inside we might not have stopped -”

“Sorry the idea of sleeping with me is so repulsive,” Ginny snaps. 

“No, Ginny, that’s not what I meant.”

It lights a fire in her eyes when he uses her name and he takes another step back.

“Don’t you _Ginny_ me,” she hisses, trying to whisper despite her anger.

She slips from the island to crowd him against the counter. Despite their size difference, she cuts an imposing figure.

“I can see you Mike. I see the parts of you you don’t really want anyone to see. And I see the version of you you’ve convinced yourself is gone. You keep trying to distance yourself from me, but you can’t. You can’t trade yourself away and you can’t stop talking to me and you can’t,” she jabs a finger into his chest, “pretend you care that this is a bad idea on paper. Because I see how you look at me.”

He’s dumbfounded. He stands silently, jaw clenched, as she shrugs her hoodie back on. She zips it this time, and it feels like she’s closing more than just her jacket.

“I’m going to bed. Why don’t you clean up this mess.”

It’s only after she’s gone that he thinks of the million other things he should have said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep telling myself they won't kiss again, but it's so impossible not to write! (Unless Mike sticking his big foot in his mouth has anything to say about it, I guess...)


	6. Are you content with where you Went?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ginny "It's only weird if you make it weird" Baker and Mike "Sticks his foot in his mouth an awful lot for a guy who's known for speeches" Lawson. Mostly filler, Mike being fluffy about Ginny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Note added 02/21/17** **If you're checking back in on this story, I promise more is on the way! I'm crazy busy right now with work and school and family stuff. I want to have the next one up more than you guys want to read it, trust me, but chapter 7 is proving a bit of a challenge (I've written and rewritten so much and I'm still not happy)! Bear with me!**
> 
> The previous chapters have been edited for clarity/grammar (although they probably still aren't perfect!) but no plot changes have been made. I know this one took a while, I've been swamped! But I've been down with a stomach bug for a couple of days, so here we are. Hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Chapter title is a Magic Hat bottle cap quote.

Mike doesn’t really sleep at all that night, but he’s still the last one to find his way into the kitchen in the morning. Ginny and Livan are sitting at the island, laughing about who knows what over plates that probably had bacon, eggs and toast on them not too long ago. 

Blip is washing a pan, his back to Mike. Omar is pouring what looks to be the last of the pot of coffee into a mug, and he’s the only one to notice Mike enter the room. 

“You mind?” His voice is gruff, and he’s not sure if his face is cooperating with his desire to appear unbothered, or totally betraying the turmoil raging within. 

“Uh, yeah, sure. I was going to make another pot anyway.”

Mike is sure that’s not the case, but he doesn’t question it. Crossing the kitchen to take the mug Omar is offering him, he is careful not to look at Ginny. She seems unaffected by his presence, starting up a game of slaps with Livan. 

Mike is mulling over whether or not to make himself breakfast since it seems like no one bothered to save him any when three phones chime at the same time. Omar, who has just started the coffee maker, is the only one to check the text. 

“Jonsey says he’ll be back around 3,” he informs everyone.

Ginny looks up, confused. “Who’s Jonsey?”

Livan takes advantage of her distraction and slaps the back of her hands. 

“Cheater!” she cries, but there is laughter in her voice and a smile on her face. 

“Jonsey is the replacement bus driver they sent us,” Blip explains. “Cool dude. We’re in a group chat.”

Mike’s face screws up at this information.

“You’re in a group chat… with your replacement bus driver?”

Ginny laughs and his heart soars. Maybe she’s not pissed at him after all. Maybe she was drunk enough to forget the whole scene that had occurred in this room only hours ago.

“Do you exchange snapchat’s with the kid who delivers your pizza?”

“Hey, Jonsey did us a solid!” Livan defends.

“Oh yeah?” Ginny prompts.

Omar grimaces, aware this is all a bit weird.

“He got his friend to open his liquor store for us the morning we came up here.”

Ginny claps her hands together and laughs as though she’s never heard anything funnier. 

Mike just settles in quietly with his coffee, deciding to forgo breakfast. It’s nice watching his team get along and joke around. Their dynamic had changed so much in the last season. 

For a long time, he’d felt like a jaded school teacher, his best intentions all forgotten over the years of having to put up with childish antics. But Ginny breathed new life into the team. Into him. His knees may not be getting any younger, but having her around had certainly made his heart lighter. 

Before Ginny, team stuff had started feeling like an obligation that he’d use any excuse to avoid. But more and more, Mike had found himself saying yes to drinks after a game, replying to messages in the group chat, _starting_ conversations in the group chat. Once or twice, he’d even shown up to a WAG organized potluck, something he hadn’t done since he split with Rachel. 

Mike was so deep in thought about the changes in himself since Ginny had come into his life that he didn’t even notice that everyone but Blip had gone to get dressed until the sink stopped running. 

Drying the last dish, Blip turned to him.

“What’s up with you, man?”

The look on Mike’s face was a perfect match to his confused tone.

“What do you mean?”

Blip cocked his head and hesitated.

“I’m not sure… you just seem… weird.”

Mike laughed and shrugged.

Blip narrowed his eyes, and put the dry plate he was holding into the cupboard.

“Whatever, man. If you need to talk about something, I’m around.”

With that, Blip went upstairs and Mike was alone. 

Maybe Ginny had been able to forget their incident in the kitchen, but he hadn’t. And standing there alone, in almost the exact spot she had left him, he could feel the pointed jab at his chest, hear her words all over again.

_I see the parts of you you don’t really want anyone to see. I see how you look at me._

He quickly washed his coffee mug and left the kitchen, trying to leave the memories behind. 

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he flopped onto the couch. 

He quickly typed out a text to the Padres group chat _Team bonding at noon in the circle. Mandatory._ and hit send before he could change his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have noticed that the chapter count has changed from "?" to "8!" It's not definite since I'm still working, but we're nearing the end! Let me know what you're thinking, or if you have any concerns about how things might be wrapping up!


End file.
